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Six out of ten preschools say 'yes' to force children to wear the Muslim hijab

Six out of ten preschools say ‘yes’ to force children to wear the Muslim hijab

Göteborgs Posten polled about 40 municipal preschools in vulnerable areas in Gothenburg, Stockholm and Malmö and asked if it should be allowed to actively check that children (only the girls) wear the veil (hijab) and force children to wear the Muslim hijab against their will.

By – Brünnhilde

More than six out of ten preschools answered yes, even though they could violate the law.

According to the review, “Many school employees feel unsure of how far to face religious pressure. Many have chosen to adapt to the parents’ demands,” the newspaper writes.

A recurring phenomenon is that parents want their children to wear the hijab. Götebors-Post states that even the “staff at a preschool have agreed to film the girls so that parents can check that their daughters never gets rid of the [hijab].”

When the newspaper asked 10 municipal preschools in Stockholm, six responded that they could think of actively checking that the child did not take off their hijab and if it happens, make sure the child is wearing it again.

“Should be very careful”

To force children to wear religious clothing as a school employee is not correct and against the school law. The question will be how far will they go with the use of force?

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“When the child does not want to wear [hijab], for example, I would be very careful,” said Anna Westerholm, acting head of law at the National Agency for Education, to the newspaper.

Lotta Edholm (L): I get hugely upset

The report has received the Liberal opposition citizen council Lotta Edholm to write to the School Inspectorate and ask the authority to review Stockholm City’s compliance with the school law.

“I am enormously upset when preschools are maintaining the usage of [hijab] that contradicts school laws,” says Lotta Edholm (L), who will also require the City of Stockholm to conduct an internal review.

The school council member Olle Burell (S) answers an email to SVT Nyheter Stockholm:

“All our employees should follow the law and ensure the best interests of the child based on the safe and educational environment that preschool and school should be.

It is out of the question that Stockholm’s city will begin to take orders from parents who expect our teachers to maintain religious rules of conduct in our school system” he writes.

Will there be any consequences?

“The school day is clear, preschool activities are based on children’s safety and well-being, not the parents’ controlling needs. We will of course ensure that our employees follow the law.

“Missed his mission”

Lotta Edholm thinks that some preschools do this because they want to show favor to the parents.

“But then you have missed your mission under the law. If preschool staff help parents to ensure that their children use veil, then preschool and society limit the rights of the children, instead, says Lotta Edholm (L).